Get Everything Done

Why do you have us highlight tasks that are dismissed? You say its so we can review them, but when does that happen? Why?

If there's no review, then it seems that putting an X at the top of the page would be enough.

Mark,

That's both funny and clever!

Hi Mark,

I excited to start using your new system, but I want to understand every tiny detail before I start.

Why is there the extra step of highlighting dismissed items? Wouldn't I be able to easily identify the dismissed items by the fact that they're the items remaining on a non-active page that haven't been crossed off?

At the risk of sounding curt, I think there are many folks coming up with issues that will be addressed once they've committed themselves to working the system and making it work.

My desire for "Understanding every tiny detail" has kept me from making inestimable progress in life...

Fair call, Mark in Texas. Since I posted my comment, I've started recording my tasks into the new system, and started working my way through the list.

I'll give it a go without highlighting the dismissed items, and see if I run into any problems.

I posted my question because I wanted confirmation that the system worked without it, or whether I had misunderstood the 'dismissing' process.

I have to say from my experience that it worked exactly as Mark said - I wasn't 100% sure of everything when I read the Quick Start Guide but just started. By the time I got to my first coffee break I actioned the "read rest of instructions" task and apart from the fact that they cleared up a few questions as to whether I was "doing it right", I had already experienced the almost uncanny way in which the system did somehow eliminate procrastination and create a real excitement about doing things - included things I had previously resisted. The fact is that it does what it says on the tin (with apologies to any non-uk readers who haven't seen that particular commercial :-)

I agree with Christine. I started as soon as I had read the Quick Start section of Mark's email and skimmed the rest. I wasn't able to fully work it the first day as I was out all afternoon on previously scheduled tasks which hadn't been Autofocused! However, I managed to make a start on my first page and continued adding to my list.

The only 'mistake' I made was in highlighting too early - I somehow amalgamated two instructions and highlighted all the remaining tasks after a final pass through my first page had nothing left that stood out to me when I should have just moved onto the next page without highlighting. But I soon realised the error of my ways when I read some of the comments on the forum and now I know better!

Anyway, it does seem to be working incredibly well even though I'm still cheating by throwing in a few instant tasks that have interrupted me and called immediate attention to themselves. Where I can add them to the bottom of the list to be done later I have though.

I can see that when I'm faster at going through my pages then there will be fewer and fewer tasks that need immediate attention. I have also already tackled two grotty jobs that have been calling for ages but I kept resisting - now I did them and actually WANTED to do them - amazing!!